Dental appliance for weight control

ABSTRACT

A weight control device (10) and method for disrupting natural mastication and transport of food at chewing surfaces of the teeth (12), to thereby impede the rate of food consumption and provide an appliance useful for weight reduction. The device comprises an doutwardly projecting wing-guard or flange (14, 15, 40), which is attached by a support collar (11) to the posterior teeth along a distal to mesial orientation. The flange (14, 15, 40) is positioned laterally of the teeth and above the chewing surfaces, with the upper portion inclined away from the teeth and the relative movement of the teeth during occlusion. The corresponding inventive methods comprise the steps of (i) interposing a blocking member (14, 15) between the food manipulating muscles such as the tongue, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth; and/or (ii) intermittently interposing a blocking member (40) between the chewing surfaces of the individual&#39;s teeth in response to food within the mouth to intermittently preclude occlusion of the teeth for mastication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The importance of maintaining proper weight for good health continues toreceive increased public attention. Such increased attention adds to thefrustration of overweight persons who not only desire better health, butare also conscious of their overweight appearance. In serious cases,effective weight control is best accomplished by initially coordinatingtraining in mental discipline with specific physiological measures. Suchphysiological measures may be necessary because overweight persons whohave made repeated attempts to lose weight experience demoralizingfrustration with each successive failure. The use of more stringentmethods which supplement individual self discipline by physiologicallyforcing a change in eating habits may be helpful in re-establishing selfconfidence.

The parent U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,771 discloses a general method of weightcontrol wherein mechanical devices are used to slow down the eatingprocess to allow the body time to naturally register the sensation ofhaving hunger satisfied prior to the completion of a meal. It is wellknown, for example, that the digestive system requires approximately 15minutes of processing time before the brain registers satisfaction ofthe hunger sensation. Consequently, persons who eat quickly may consumemuch more food than is physiologically necessary for satisfaction ofhunger. The referenced patent focuses on the method of impeding theeating process by providing a blocking device which at least partiallyobstructs the passage of unchewed, solid foods through the mouth to thestomach. By increasing the time duration food is retained in the mouth,one automatically reduces the rate of food consumption. Accordingly, theuse of dental devices which are retained at tooth structure has provento be an effective method for weight control, when used independently orin conjunction with diets or other weight loss methods. The presentdisclosure constitutes an improvement subsumed within the general methodset forth and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,771.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a device or appliance forattachment to an individual's teeth for interfering with naturalmastication and transport of food within the individual's mouth, therebyimpeding the rate of food consumption.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a dentalappliance which impedes the passage of unchewed solid foods through themouth to the stomach by limiting or restricting the free movement offood across the surfaces of the molars.

A further object of this invention is to impede the eating process byblocking access of the tongue to food as it is being chewed, therebyslowing down the natural process of mastication.

A still further object of the present invention is to increase theamount of effort required to chew food, thereby increasing the requiredtime for consumption and decreasing the normal satisfaction of eating.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a devicewhich blocks unrestrained mastication by imposing a temporary obstaclebetween the occluding teeth.

These and other objects are realized in a weight loss device whichcomprises an outwardly projecting wing-guard or flange having anelongated configuration which is adapted to impede the passage of foodthere through. This flange or wing-guard projects above the chewingsurfaces of the tooth and is mounted along a distal to mesialorientation at the side of the teeth such that the flange is positionedabove the chewing surfaces and with the upper portion inclined away fromthe region between opposing teeth which occlude for mastication.Ideally, the flange or wing-guard is positioned between the tongue andteeth and prevents the tongue from manipulating the food in itscustomary manner. In addition, the flange prevents the food from movingfreely to the tongue and into the stomach without complete mastication.With respect to more serious overweight conditions, the flange may behinged at an upper portion to permit displacement of this upper portionto a collapsed configuration between the opposing surfaces of occludingteeth. The existence of the hinged portion of the flange requires theindividual to physically raise the hinge from its interstitial positionbetween the teeth before being able to chew any food. Typically, thiswill be accomplished by the tongue, which can lift the hinged memberinto its projecting, open configuration which allows occlusion. However,as the tongue and food move within the mouth, the hinged member againfalls into its interstitial location, again requiring the individual tolift the hinge free of the chewing region.

These devices physiologically impede the eating process by creatingmechanical obstacles to normal mastication, disrupting the emotionalsatisfaction of eating and by increasing the amount of effort requiredto consume a small portion of food. Both the physiological andpsychological effects combine to enable weight loss where conventionalmethods have proven unsuccessful.

Other objects and features will be apparent to those skilled in the art,based upon the following detailed description, taken in combination withaccompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a simulated oral environment havingtwo attached embodiments of the subject weight control device.

FIG. 2 is an isolated perspective view of a single appliance constructedin accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the device shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BEST MODE Referring Now to the Drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a weight loss appliance 10 which comprises a support collar11 adapted for attachment around the individual's tooth structure 12.Because of the primary purpose of interrupting or interfering with thechewing process, the device 10 is mounted around several of the molars.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the device can alsoextend forward to the pre-molar teeth 13 or bicuspids. In theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 1, only the incisor and canine teethremain unaffected. Accordingly, unrestrained chewing action isrestricted to these forward teeth which are not adapted for mastication.It will be apparent from this disclosure that a primary benefit of thepresent invention is to interfere with natural mastication and transportof food within an individual's mouth. The implementation of thisobjective is detailed hereafter.

The support collar 11 provides means for mounting a wing-guard or flange14 or 15 to the teeth along a distal to mesial orientation 20 or 21.This collar or mounting means 11 may be constructed of banding materialsimilar to that used in orthodontics or it may be structured pursuant toan impression of the attached teeth 12-13 and molded from chromiumcobalt or other materials compatible with the oral environment. Thepreferred embodiment is illustrated as a molded structure which conformsto the configuration of the teeth to provide maximum support to therespective wing-guards or flanges (referred to hereafter as flanges) 14and 15. The forward portion of the support collar is anchored in placeby wires 22 tied to projecting fingers 23 and 24 (concealed on hiddenside of denture). Additional wires 25 may be applied to insure adequatesupport for the attached appliance 10. The back portion of the collar ormounting means is retained in place by a bridging cross-member 27. As isshown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the preferred embodiment of the collar comprisesa structure wherein the collar 11 is joined by the bridge 27 to form athree-sided enclosure which permits the appliance to be seated in placearound the back molars from the distal side, with the forward end of theappliance being wired in place through the teeth at the respectivefingers 23 and 24. A slot or groove 26 is provided to insure retentionof the wires thereon. The procedures for constructing the support collar11 with brace 27 are in conformance with standard procedures for takingimpressions in wax, burning out the wax and casting the appliance inchrome cobalt. Soldered joints and wire are conventional materials usedin orthodontics.

The function of the support collar is to provide a base for supportingone or both of the respective flanges 14 and 15. For purposes ofdescription, reference is made to an upper mounting edge 30 whichrepresents an imaginary line in the drawings to distinguish between thesupport collar 11 and the flange 15. It will be noted that the preferredembodiment is a single, integral structure which is fabricated as asingle element by the previously discussed casting technique. Referenceto the mounting edge 30 has been included in view of the numerousstructures which are envisioned, including structures which may be oftwo or more parts. Although the mounting edge is somewhat figurative inthe illustrative embodiments, it is useful for explaining the separatefunctions of the support collar 11 and the respective flange elements 14and 15.

Accordingly, general reference is made to an upper mounting edge 30which is aligned and positioned along the distal to mesial line 20 suchthat the flange mounted thereat 15 is oriented in a single distal tomesial line at the side of the teeth. This attachment edge 30 isillustrated as separated from and below the chewing surfaces of theteeth because the primary function of the support collar 11 does notinvolve obstruction of food or of the tongue.

In addition to positioning and separating the wing-guard or flangelaterally of the teeth and between opposing chewing surfaces, thesupport collar also positions the flange with the upper portion 15aprojecting upward and inclined away from the chewing region 31 whichexists between corresponding posterior teeth in the upper and lowerjaws. This inclined orientation is generally described with respect toan imaginary vertical plane defined by the direction of relativemovement of the opposing teeth which occlude adjacent the wing-guard orflange. This imaginary plane is identified in FIG. 3 as item 32. Theexact angle of inclination 33 or 34 will depend upon the dentition,palate, cheek, tongue and free way space required. Likewise, the samefactors determine the relative height of the respective flanges 14 and15, as well as their contours. A typical flange height will range fromone-half to one and a half centimeters.

Although the figures show each appliance 10 having a pair of flanges 14and 15, a single flange may also be applied. Typically, this will be alingual flange 15 which is attached at the mounting edge 30 and projectsoutward therefrom at a slightly inclined orientation with respect to theimaginary plane 32 defined by the direction of relative teeth movementduring mastication of food at the respective teeth surfaces. Hereagain,the single lingual flange is positioned above the chewing surface of theteeth thereby forming an obstruction toward movement of food onto oraway from the chewing surface. Typically, the lingual flange is anelongated, flat structure having a contoured upper edge 35 which isconfigured in shape and form to avoid contact with palatal tissue whenthe teeth are in an occluding position. Such contact may result inirritations which would unnecessarily add to the discomfort of thedieting patient.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the configurationof this contoured edge will likely differ with each individual, based onthe specific oral cavity structure. Generally, however, an appliance 10attached at the posterior molars is likely to have a lingual flangewhich is greater in height at the distal side 15c than at the mesialside 15d. It is important to fabricate the flange 15 with sufficientheight to insure adequate performance of its blocking function withrespect to food and the tongue. It would be apparent to one skilled inthe art that the actual dimensions and configuration of the wing-guardwill be customed designed (i) to preserve proper spacial relationshipbetween the tongue and palate such that the guard does not restrain thetongue from its normal speech function, and (ii) to prevent harmfulcontact leading to irritation at the palate or cheek. These respectivedesign characteristics must be considered in connection with determiningthe appropriate height of the flange or wing-guard for performance ofits blocking function. A proper evaluation and coordination of thesevarious design parameters will be known to those skilled in the art.Obviously, these characteristics will also differ, depending on thenumber of teeth to which the appliance is applied. To insure propersupport and functioning of the appliance, it is best to attach thedevice to at least three posterior teeth, including two molars, with theflange having sufficient length to bridge the distance of at least twoof the attached teeth.

Just as the single flange can be attached at the lingual side, a buccalflange or wing-guard may be attached at the opposite side of the teeth,either in single or joint configuration with respect to the lingualflange. This buccal flange would be attached to a buccal mounting edge(figurative in the preferred embodiments disclosed herein) which isoriented along the distal to mesial line adjacent and below the buccalchewing surfaces of the teeth. The buccal flange is attached at themounting edge and projects outward from the teeth at a slightly inclinedorientation with respect to the plane of teeth movement 32. Hereagain,the buccal flange is positioned above the chewing surface of the teethto form an obstruction toward movement of food onto or away from thechewing area. The flange is useful because of the movement of food bythe cheek muscle which enhances mastication and speeds up the chewingprocess. By shielding this cheek muscle, mastication is impeded, furtherextending the time required for the eating process.

The general function of the lingual flange is to impede movement of foodto and from the area of mastication. Where the overweight condition isnot serious, a single flange may be adequate to correct the overweightcondition. The single flange provides less restriction and discomfortwithin the mouth, yet operates to slow down the eating process to allowtime for the digestive system to register any satisfaction of hunger. Italso tends to increase the amount of mastication for food which isretained in place at the chewing surfaces of the teeth. This furtherenhances digestion and extends the eating process. A second flange, suchas a buccal flange, further restricts food movement and enhancesmastication by retaining food within a channel formed between therespective flanges. Where the length of the flange extends along thedistance of several contiguous teeth, it would be difficult for thetongue to manipulate food into and out of the chewing area. A flange ofshorter length permits the tongue to be more active in the positioningand displacement of food at the chewing surface. Therefore, it will beapparent that part of the process of customizing an appliance to aspecific individual will be to evaluate the seriousness of theoverweight problem, the ability of the user to restrain his/her diet andthe configuration of the oral environment with respect to the shape,size and number of flanges or wing-guards necessary to disrupt thepatient's eating habits.

In extreme cases where mere blocking of the tongue and food transportfails to realize desired weight loss results, an additional impedimentcan be added to the flanged structure. This second method involves theuse of a hinged, upper section 40 of the flange 50. The hinge 39 isformed by severing the upper and lower portions of the flange and bysoldering the orthodontic tube and inserted hinge wire at respectivesides of the severed flange portion. This and comparable constructionmethods are well within the ability of those skilled in the art. Thishinged configuration, shown as a buccal flange in FIGS. 1 and 3,functions not only to block access to the chewing area, but also tophysically interfere with occlusion of the teeth when it is rotated to acollapsed configuration 41 (shown in phantom line in FIG. 3) wherein theflange section 40 is displaced from its outward projecting configurationto a collapsed configuration near the chewing surface 42 of the teeth towhich it is attached. For a buccal, hinged flange, the collapsedposition 41 can be initiated by the cheek muscle or by food rollingacross its outer surface. In either case, the flange must be raised toits projected orientation 40 by the tongue or finger. The position ofthe hinge 39 at the top of the flange virtually requires each occlusionof the teeth to be followed by replacement of the flange to itsprojected orientation 40. It should be noted that the hinged location 39may vary; however, a suitable hinge position is slightly above themounting edge and at a uniform height with respect to the chewingsurface. This will insure that contact between the collapsed flange andthe teeth does not cause localized stress at a single point at the toothstructure. Obviously, safety considerations dictate spreading theocclusion forces over a broad surface area of the collapsed flange.

In addition, a stop 45 or other blocking member is soldered to theflange for preventing the hinged portion 40 of the flange fromcollapsing buccally beyond its inclined orientation and out of itsblocking position. Failure to provide means for preventing rotation orcollapse of the hinged portion away from the teeth would defeat thepurpose of the flange, which could then fall free of the blockingposition.

With respect to the closed or collapsed configuration 41 of the hinge,the structure must be adapted to preserve natural free way space in theinterstitial region between the occluding teeth. Adequate free way spacewould permit the individual to speak, breath and sleep with adequatespace between the collapsed hinge and opposing teeth from those teeth towhich the appliance is attached. Typically, this free way space willspan a distance of two to five milimeters.

Although the drawings illustrate a buccal flange with an upper hingemember 40, the preferred location for the hinged member would be on thelingual flange. The buccal flange is illustrated in the drawings becauseof its preferred position for viewing the hinge structure. As with thebuccal flange, the lingual flange may be hinged between the upperportion 15a and lower portion 15b as is shown by the dotted line in FIG.2. In addition to a simple hinge structure, a spring-biasing member 48may be provided for biasing the guard to a closed, collapsed position.Under such circumstances, the chewing process is severely restricted andrequires the individual to raise the flange sequentially between eachchewing action. The degree of tension applied by the spring-biasingmember 48 may be adjusted in accordance with the specific oralenvironment and needs of the individual. Where circumstances favorspring-biasing the hinge member to an open, projecting position as shownwith item 40, the same structure may be utilized with appropriatepositioning of the spring member 48. This open position may be desirableto allow free movement for food which has been thoroughly masticated.The biased hinge will deflect, however, where large particles of foodare positioned at the lingual surface of the hinge, such as where toomuch food is taken into the mouth. Spring-biasing the hinge to an openposition also reduces the discomfort of inadvertent collapse of theflange during movements of the mouth other than eating, such as inspeech, etc.

The previously described structure has been applied as part of a weightloss/control program which has proven extremely effective, even withdifficult weight loss cases. The method generally comprises the steps of(i) securing a food blocking device such as the flanged structureddisclosed herein to the teeth inside the mouth in a position whichimpedes injested, unchewed, solid foods from being passed from the mouthto the stomach. Use of the subject device does not impede movement ofthe lower jaw, nor does it obstruct emergent foods from the stomach frombeing rejected by the body. The inventive method is further practiced byretaining this device within the mouth for sufficient time to result ina desired loss of weight.

More specifically, the inventive method disclosed herein ischaracterized by the steps of (i) interposing a blocking member, such asa buccal or lingual flange, between food manipulating muscles within themouth and the chewing surfaces of the teeth such that free passage offood to the chewing surfaces is impeded; and (ii) maintaining theblocking member in this blocking position for sufficient number ofcontinuous days to disrupt the normal eating habits of the individual.Such disruption results from the attendent difficulty of chewing andmanipulating food wherein the food manipulating muscles such as thecheek and tongue are partially restrained.

Similarly, a second method of assisting an individual to lose weight byimpeding the eating process, with the attendent advantages, isrepresented by the steps of (i) intermittently interposing a blockingmember between the chewing surfaces of an individual's teeth, responsiveto movement of food within the mouth, to thereby intermittently precludeocclusion of the teeth for mastication; and (ii) maintaining suchintermittent interference over a sufficient number of days to interferewith the individual's eating habits and cause a resultant loss ofweight. This intermittent blocking member corresponds to the hingedflange previously described as item 40 in the drawings. It will beapparent from the previous discussion that this blocking member issubstantially retained free of contact with the chewing surfaces of theteeth during non-eating activity. Additional methods and variations ofthe disclosed weight loss methods will be apparent to those skilled inthe art based on the foregoing disclosure.

Actual use of the weight loss devices and methods described herein haveconfirmed their utility. The average patient experiences a loss ofapproximately thirteen (13) pounds without the presence of aninterstitial blocking hinge during the first month. Use of the hingegreatly increases weight loss because of the difficulty of eating wherethe hinge must be continually repositioned to the projecting position40. In comparison with devices which bridge between posterior teeth asdisclosed in the parent patent, the present invention maintains blockingstructure in the area of the teeth, without interfering with the rest ofthe oral cavity. Discomfort is minimal and non-eating activities such astalking, sleeping, etc. are substantially unimpeded. Nevertheless, thepresence of the flange structures are a constant reminder, bothphysiologically and psychologically, of the dieting process.Forgetfullness is extremely difficult because the mastication process ofthe tongue, cheek and teeth is restrained each time food enters themouth. In otherwords, all eating must be accomplished "despite" thepresence of food blocking structure at the teeth. Furthermore, becausethe user must brush the teeth and attached blocking structure after eachmeal, in between eating is severely restricted.

Obviously, good dental hygeine and extra care must be exercised whenusing this type of weight loss device. The oral environment must beclean. There can be no peridontal disease or other conditions which areincompatible with utilization of the teeth structure to support therequired appliance. A unique advantage of the subject invention is thatocclusion contact is preserved, despite the use of the teeth to supportthe referenced blocking structure. Absent such occlusion, teeth arelikely to erupt and result in damage to the dentition and temporalmandibular joint. With appropriate dental and hygenic precautions, thesubject weight loss method has proven to be a very practical andeffective weight loss program.

We claim:
 1. A device for attachment to an individual's teeth forinterfering with natural mastication and transport of food within anindividual's mouth to thereby impede the rate of food consumption andprovide an appliance useful for weight reduction for overweight persons,said device comprising:a support collar adapted for attachment around aportion of at least one tooth and having an upper mounting edge which isadapted to be aligned and positioned along the distal to mesial line ata lingual side and separated from chewing surfaces of the teeth to whichit is to be attached; and a lingual flange attached at the mounting edgeand adapted to project upward from attached lower teeth or downward fromattached upper teeth and outward therefrom along the distal to mesialline and at an inclined orientation with respect to a plane defined bythe direction of relative teeth movement during mastication of food atthe tooth surface, said lingual flange being adapted to be at leastpartially positioned laterally of the chewing region between opposingsurfaces of the teeth to thereby form an impeding surfaces of the teethto thereby form an impeding obstruction against movement of food onto oraway from the chewing surfaces.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1,wherein the lingual flange is an elongated, flat structure having acontoured upper edge which is configured in shape and form to avoidcontact with palatal tissue when the teeth are in an occluding position.3. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the collar is adapted to beattached to at least one molar and the lingual flange is greater inheight at the distal side than at the correspnding mesial side of thetooth.
 4. A device as defined in claim 2, wherein the collar is adaptedto be attached to at least three posterior teeth, including two molars,said lingual flange having sufficient length to bridge the distance ofat least two of the attached teeth.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1,wherein the lingual flange is hinged at an upper portion thereof beyondthe mounting edge to permit the hinged portion to displace from itsoutward projecting configuration to a collapsed configuration betweenthe opposing teeth to chewing surfaces of the which it is adapted to beattached, and further comprising means for preventing the hinged portionof the flange from collapsing lingually beyond its inclined orientationand out of its lateral blocking position.
 6. A device as defined inclaim 1, wherein the support collar further includes an upper buccalmounting edge adapted to be positioned along the distal to mesial lineadjacent and separated from buccal chewing surfaces of the teeth, saiddevice further comprising a buccal flange attached at the buccalmounting edge and adapted to project outward from the chewing region ofthe teeth at a slightly inclined orientation with respect to a planedefined by the direction of relative teeth movement during masticationof food at the tooth surface of the teeth to thereby form an obstructiontoward movement of food onto or away from the chewing surfaces.
 7. Adevice as defined in claim 6, wherein the collar is adapted to beattached to at least three posterior teeth, including two molars, saidlingual and buccal flanges having sufficient length to bridge thedistance of at least two of the attached teeth.
 8. A device as definedin claim 1, wherein the buccal flange is hinged at an upper portionthereof beyond the mounting edge to permit the hinged portion todisplace from its outward projecting configuration to a collapsedconfiguration between the opposing chewing surfaces of the teeth towhich it is adapted to be attached, and further comprising means forpreventing the hinged portion of the flange from collapsing buccallybeyond its inclined orientation and out of its lateral blockingposition.
 9. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the hinged portionof lingual flange is adapted to collapse to an interstitial positionbetween the opposing chewing surfaces of the the teeth which preservesthe natural free way space therebetween.
 10. A device as defined inclaim 1, wherein the support collar and lingual flange are formed as asingle integral structure which can be attached to the teeth as a singleappliance, said collar being case or otherwise molded to conform to theshape of an impression taken of the teeth to which it is attached.
 11. Aweight control device for interfering with natural mastication andtransport of food at a chewing region between opposing chewing surfacesof teeth within an individual's mouth to thereby impede the rate of foodconsumption and provide an appliance useful for weight reduction foroverweight persons, said device comprising a wing-guard adapted toproject laterally of the chewing region to impede the passage of foodtherethrough, said wing-guard having a flat, elongated configurationwith an upper portion and unattached edge free of sharp corners andbeing adapted in size to project laterally of chewing surfaces of theteeth when properly positioned in the mouth, and means for mounting thewing-guard to the teeth along distal to mesial orientation and having alocation with respect to the teeth such that the wing-guard is adaptedto be positioned laterally of the teeth (ii) above and chewing surfacesand with the upper portion inclined away from a vertical plane definedby the direction of relative movement of opposing teeth which occludeadjacent the wing-guard, said device being thereby adapted to impedetransfer of food and access of the individual's tongue to the chewingregion between the opposing teeth.
 12. A device as defined in claim 11wherein the wing-guard is attached to the mounting means for positioningin a lingual orientation at posterior teeth.
 13. A device as defined inclaim 11 wherein the wing-guard is attached to the mounting means forpositioning in a buccal orientation at posterior teeth.
 14. A device asdefined in claim 11 wherein the dimensions and configuration of thewing-guard are sufficiently inclined (i) to preserve spacialrelationship between the tongue and palate such that the guard does notrestrain the tongue from its normal speech function, and (ii) to preventharmful contact leading to irriation by the wing-guard at the palate orcheek.
 15. A device as defined in claim 11, wherein the upper portion ofthe flange is coupled to the lower portion of the guard by hinge meansto permit the hinged portion to displace from its projectingconfiguration to a partially collapsed configuration between theopposing teeth to which it is to be attached, and further comprisingmeans for preventing the hinged upper portion of the flange fromcollapsing away from the attached teeth beyond its inclined orientationand out of its lateral blocking position.
 16. A device as defined inclaim 11 wherein the device comprises both lingual and buccalwing-guards positioned on opposing sides of the mounting means, saidguards forming a diverging channel between which the nonattached,occluding teeth come to rest when the teeth are in a closed position.17. A device as defined in claim 11 wherein the configuration of thewing-guard and mounting means are formed from an impression mold takenfrom lower, posterior teeth and palate, thereby adapting the device forpositioning at the lower teeth location.
 18. A device as defined inclaim 11 wherein the configuration of the wing-guard and mounting meansare formed from an impression mold taken from upper, posterior teeth andpalate, thereby adapting the device for positioning at the upper teethlocation.
 19. A device as defined in claim 15 wherein the upper, hingedportion of the guard includes means for spring biasing the guard to aclosed, collapsed position, thereby requiring the individual tophysically reposition the hinged portion to an open, projecting positionor during the process of eating in order to bring the teeth into anoccluding relationship.
 20. A device as defined in claim 15 wherein theupper, hinged portion of the guard includes means for spring biasing theguard to an open, projecting position, thereby urging the hinged portionto the open, projecting position during speech and other non-eatingactivity, while permitting deflection of the hinge during the process ofeating.